In many ways, Bath is the quintessential idyllic English town—it’s got rolling green hills, classic architecture, charming pubs, and historic churches. For that very reason, foreigners have trekked here for centuries. A luxurious destination throughout its history, Bath was once a meeting place for the Roman elite who migrated here to frequent the city’s healing mineral baths which they dedicated to the goddess Minerva. Later, Britain’s upper-class social set, featured in novels by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, vacationed to Bath, the hip retreat of the day. Austen’s aristocratic heroine in Northanger Abbey claims that, “Bath is a charming place, sir; there are so many good shops here.” Indeed, with the brand-new Southgate shopping center, Bath serves today’s visitors just as it did those in Austen’s time.

Though Bath might be home to England’s hottest springs, it’s not known for its steaming nightlife. However, a modern influx of students plus the constant comings-and-goings of young travelers, now add a bit of spice to the mix of local Bathonians and older tourists that typically roam its Georgian streets.